Offbeat Oslo, Norway: A Quirky Travel Guide

Exploring the fjords and glaciers. Embracing the midnight sun. Breathtaking scenery and one of the homes of the Northern Lights. A vibrant sauna culture. Yes, Norway is known for a lot of things. However the country is not known for its one-of-a-kind museums, eccentric artists and lust for liquor….but maybe it should be 😉 The next time you find yourself in the capital of Norway, make sure to check out at least one of the unique and offbeat Oslo destinations:

But first a gift for all you Pinterest addicts

The Mini Bottle Gallery

When you think of a glass bottle collection, do you think or of ships and other miniatures inside of bottles? Regardless of which answer you picked, this is the place for you! Welcome to The Mini Bottle Gallery, the only museum of its kind in the world. It is home to over 50,000 bottles of all shapes, sizes and designs.

The Mini Bottle Gallery, part of offbeat Oslo

The owner is a fourth generation descendant of the Ringnes brewery founders and one of Norway’s most affluent businessmen. His love of bottles started as a kid upon receiving a half bottle of gin as a gift and has grown over the years into a massive collection.

In spring of 2000, Ringnes purchased a building in the heart of Oslo, and three years later the museum opened. Most bottles are full of alcohol but others have fruits, berries, even animals. Public hours are limited to between noon and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays only, however private visits for large groups can be scheduled in advance for alternative days.Official Mini Bottle Gallery Web Site

Looking up at a light fixture on the ceiling made from colored glass bottles

Torggata

All those beer and liquor bottles have you craving a drink? Head on over to Torggata, specifically the blocks in between Youngs Gate and Hausmanns Gate. 6-7 years ago this was a seedy street full of trash, graffiti and drug dealers. Now it is full of trendy new restaurants and bars, and street art has replaced graffiti. Yes, Torggata has quickly become one of the hippest parts of Oslo.

Restaurants, bars and stores that sell shit. Welcome to Torggata.

Cobblestone streets. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Outdoor diners enjoying the day. And a strong emerging nightlife. This is Torggata, where McDonald’s struggles and exotic foreign cuisine flourishes. Jaime Pesaque, the renowned Peruvian chef with restaurants in Lima, Dubai and Milano (just to name a few), now has one in Torggata as well: Piscoteket

The entire area is full of restaurants serving different cuisines from around the world, and most of these also serve alcohol as well. However there are plenty of dedicated bars to. Just go for a stroll and stop in whatever place catches your eye. Guarantee you’ll have fun!

Over the last two decades more and more professional magicians are worrying that their trade is dying. Some magicians are revealing the secrets behind popular tricks, to inspire a new younger generation to follow in their footsteps. Others are devising newer and more elaborate stunts with the help of modern technology. Meanwhile in Norway a group of magicians began collecting magician memorabilia to tell their story.

Free entrance to the Museum of Magic in Oslo, Norway when you attend one of the Sunday magic shows

By 2001 this collection of posters, props, photographs and gear had grown so large it needed to be moved to its own apartment (exterior pictured above). Thus Norsk Tryllemuseum, the Norway Museum of Magic, was officially born.

The museum is only open on Sundays from 1pm-4pm with a magic show at 2pm. Ideally, you are supposed to go for the show and enjoy the museum as a “free bonus” — check out the official web site for more information.

Oslo’s Growing Street Art Scene

The street art scene in Norway’s capital is captivating, colorful and quickly growing. All the popular Norwegian street artists have painted murals here, including Dolk, Riddler, Pastel and many others, as well as countless international artists from every continent except for Africa.

Experience the colorful and offbeat Oslo street art scene

Unlike the street art of Toronto and Kuala Lumpur, where everything tends to be clustered in one single area, Oslo’s urban artwork is scattered throughout the city — and constantly changing as new murals are painted. For an up-to-date street art map check here.

Vigeland Installation at Frogner Park

Gustav Vigeland was one of Norway’s most esteemed sculptors and nowadays is known throughout the world. His easily recognizeable work are thos iconic statues of human beings doing, well, human things. Vigeland was also the designer of the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

In a deal with the Oslo government, Vigeland agreed to donate all his future works to the city. By the time he passed away in 1943 this was over 200 sculptures. Together they cover a sprawling 80 acres and comprise the largest sculpture park in the world created by a single artist. The pinnacle of all this artwork is a 14-metre tall monstrosity known as The Monolith. Carved entirely out of granite, 121 writhing bodies for a human totem pole obelisk.

The Gustav Vigeland Installation at Frogner Park — 212 statues that make up the largest sculpture park in the world created by a single artist

The park is open 24 hours a day and entrance is free, however it is quite popular with both locals and tourists, so try to avoid visiting at peak hours. For more information check the official web site.

Emanuel Vigeland Mausoleum

That’s right, Gustav Vigeland had several brothers, one of which became a famous artist: Emanuel Vigeland. Although he never attained the same level of fame as his older brother, he was nonetheless an accomplished sculptor, painter and stained glass artist.

Emanuel Vigeland Mausoleum

The mausoleum itself is an intriguing homage to life, death and sex, all rolled into one. It was originally intended to be a museum but halfway through Emanuel changed his mind and decided to combine mausoleum and museum into one. Shaped like a small church with bricked up windows, the acoustics of the building are so powerful that speaking loudly is simply not possible.

When Emanuel passed away 1948 he was cremated and ashes placed within a low-hanging niche above the entry. The end result is that every guest of the mausoleum has to bow down to Emanuel on their way out. For more information, check out the museum’s official web site.

Of course this is only the tip of the glacier of things to do in Oslo.

About Derek Freal

"Some people eat, others try therapy. I travel." Cultural enthusiast. Adrenaline junkie. Eater of strange foods. Chasing unique and offbeat adventures around the world since 2008. Derek loves going to new destinations where he does not speak a word of the local language and must communicate with hand gestures, or places where he is forced to squat awkwardly to poo -- supposedly its healthier and more efficient. For more information (about Derek, not squat pooing) including popular posts and videos, check out his bio.